Tom Golisano would look at participation in buying Bills if team was ever in danger of leaving Western New York

by jmaloni

Thu, Oct 25th 2012 09:20 pm

In
an exclusive interview on the WBBZ-TV program "Political Buzz," the
billionaire owner of the Rochester based Paychex Company talked about the possibility
he could be an owner of the Buffalo Bills someday.

Tom
Golisano said, "I don't think anybody knows for sure that this team is going
to be for sale, or available. I would assume Mr. Wilson is a very smart
individual ... and I don't think he would get himself in a situation where it
would be a forced sale. Now if it did happen, and the team was in danger of
leaving, I have said that I would do what I could to participate, not a
commitment, but I would certainly look at it, because I realize how important
this franchise is to this community, just like the Sabres. ... I would hate to
see the Buffalo Bills leave Buffalo, so whatever I could do that was logical
and realistic, I would participate."

Golisano's
political adviser, Steve Pigeon, appeared on the program as co-host with John
Di Sciullo. Golisano discussed how Pigeon brought the idea to him to purchase
the Buffalo Sabres hockey team in 2003, which he eventually sold to Terry
Pegula in 2011. Golisano said he rejected a more lucrative offer that would
have seen the team move out of Western New York.

Golisano
discussed his latest political initiative in advancing passage of the National
Popular Vote Bill. In an online video aired on the program, Golisano explained
his mission to guarantee the presidency to the candidate who receives the most
popular votes in the entire U.S. The bill preserves the Electoral College,
while ensuring every vote in every state will matter in every presidential
election. The website he created is www.nationalpopularvote.com.

When
asked if there was a personal connection to his philanthropic work, Golisano
offered a rare personal revelation that he has a son who is developmentally
challenged as the reason his B. Thomas Golisano Foundation started in 1985 with
a donation helping those with developmental disabilities.

"There
is a personal connection, and I don't talk about it much, " Golisano said. "I
do have a son who is developmentally disabled. Steven lives in Rochester, works
in a sheltered workshop, and lives in a mini group home with a set of house
parents. Steven is 47 now, and with that connection you become very connected
about the world of intellectual and developmental disabilities, so I started
the foundation that, over the years, has grown to give out significant amounts
of money."

Pigeon
commented that the B. Thomas Golisano Foundation has donated more than $200
million to charities in Rochester, Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Florida.

Golisano
left Rochester in 2009 and relocated to Florida citing the high tax rates in
New York state. He commented that the money he has saved in paying taxes has
been donated to worthy causes.

The
exclusive hour long interview with Golisano aired Thursday at 6:30 p.m. on the
WBBZ-TV program "Political Buzz," and can be seen again Friday at 9
a.m., as well as Sunday at 10 a.m.